Container



mm. M WJRTY EII'AL SEQZJW CONTAINER E5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 23,1965 INVENTORS. CARROLL J. MC GORTY BENJAMBN A. CUOCO BY @Qzwm 0MATTOWVEY.

is sis 98 16 F565.

Feb '7, W67 CMJ. MCGORTY ETAL 7 9 GONTAI NER 5 Sheets-$heet Filed July25, 1965 INVENTORS. CARROLL J. MC GORTY BENJAMIN A. CUOCO ATTORNEY.

H967 c. .J. MOGORTY ETAL 3,3023% Feb CONTAINER I5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FiledJuly 23, 1965 INVENTORS. CARROLL J. MC GORTY BENJAMIN ACUOCO ATTRNEY.

United States Patent 3,302,773 (IGNTAINER Carroll J. McGorty, Granville,and Beniamin A. Cause,

Springfield, Mass, assignors to Boxmakers, llnc., Westfield, Mass.

Filed July 23, 1965, Ser. No. 474,375 Claims. (til. 206-45.14)

Our invention relates to containers and more especially to containers ofthe type wherein a substantial portion of an article packaged therein isexposed to view.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a container of the typedescribed which may be readily assembled by automatic equipment as wellas by hand from a one-piece container blank, with the erected containerproviding product visibility and copy area on the face of the container.

Another object is to provide a container in which a substantial portionof the packaged article is exposed to view and at the same time thearticle is effectively retained and the container may be handled withoutdanger of the packaged article falling therefrom.

Still another object is to provide a container which is highlyattractive in appearance and the interlocking parts maintaining it inerected positions are effectively concealecl.

A salient feature of the invention resides in the simplicity with whichan article may be inserted into the container. Herein, the upper closureflap is opened, the article inserted, and the closure flap closed andthe article is secured in place, while a major portion thereof remainsvisible.

These and other objects will be more clearly understood from aconsideration of the following detailed specification and drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a container embodying a preferredform of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view through the container of FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the container of FIG. 1 with certain of theflaps opened for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 4 is a horizontal cross sectional view through the container ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view similar to FIG. 1, but with thepackaged article removed and portions of the container broken away forpurposes of clarity;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a container blank from which the container ofFIGS. 1-5 is erected; and

FIGS. 7-14 are modified forms of container blanks embodying theinvention.

With detailed reference now to FIGS. 1-6 of the draw ings, the preferredillustrated embodiment of our invention is designed to receive anarticle 10 which may be a tube, bottle or other container, shown forpurposes of illustration only as beingsirnilar in configuration to theusual tooth paste tube and having a closure cap 12 threadedly engagedtherewith. In the FIG. 1 form of the invention, the article isillustrated in cap-down position; it may be placed in cap-up positionutilizing other embodiments of the invention, as will appear.

The container is formed from an integral cut and/or crease scored blankgenerally indicated by and shown in extended form in FIG. 6.

Blank 20 comprises a rear panel 22 hingedly connected along its oppositeside edges by score or crease lines 24 and 26 to a pair of side panels28 and 30 respectively, said side panels each being connected to one ofa pair of front panels generally indicated by 32 and 34 by score orcrease lines 36 and 38 respectively.

An arcuate cut score line 40 is provided in the upper portion of frontpanel 32 and extends inwardly from the outermost side edge of said panelto the score or crease line 35 to divide said panel into an uppermostsupport panel 42 and a lowermost first partition panel 44.

An arcuate cut score line 46 is provided in the upper portion of frontpanel 34 and extends inwardly from the outermost side edge of said panelto the score or crease line 38 to divide said panel into an uppermostdisplay panel 48 and a lowermost second partition panel 50.

A combination cut and crease score line 52 provides a first retainingflap 54 adjacent the outermost side edge of first partition panel 44,and a combination cut and crease score line 56 provides a secondretaining flap 58 adjacent the outermost side edge of second partitionpanel 50.

A locking tab 60 is provided on the outermost side edge of secondretaining flap 58, and a horizontally aligned locking tab opening isprovided by a cut score line 62 appropriately located along the lengthof combination cut and crease score line 52 on first partition panel 44.

An upper closure flap 64 is hingedly connected to the upper edge ofdisplay panel 48 by a score or crease line 66 and an upper tuck flap 68is hingedly connected to the upper edge of upper closure flap 64 by ascore or crease line 70.

A first article retaining flap 72 is provided and is hingedly connectedto the upper edge of side panel 30 by a score or crease line 74. Firstarticle retaining flap 72 is provided with a longitudinally extendingcentral opening 76 of appropriate size and configuration to permit thepassage of the base end of article 10 therethrough while stillfrictionally engaging said base end, all in manner subsequently to beexplained.

First article retaining flap 72 is provided, centrally of its length andon each side of central opening 76, with a transversely-extending scoreor crease line 80 which facilitates bending of the retaining flap to asubstantially triangulate form, for purposes to appear.

An upper closing flap 82 is hingedly connected to the upper edge of theother side panel 28 by a score or crease line 84.

A lower closure flap 86 is hingedly connected to the lower edge of rearpanel 22 by a score or crease line 88.

A second article retaining flap 9% is hingedly connected to lowerclosure flap 86 by a score or crease line 92 and a lower tuck fiap 94 ishingedly connected to the lower edge of second article retaining flap bya score or crease line 96.

A cut score 98 located centrally of second article retaining flap 90 andterminating at score or crease line 96 provides a locking tongue 100hingedly connected to the retaining flap and provided with an integrallocking tab 1&2 by a transversely extending score or crease line 104.

A pair of. lower closing flaps 106 and 108 are connected to the lowerends of side panels 28 and 30 by score or crease lines 110 and 112respectively.

To erect the blank of FIG. 6 into the container of FIGS. 1-5, sidepanels 28 and 30 are moved upwardly so that they are perpendicular torear panel 22 and lower closing flaps 106 and 108 are bent inwardly sothat they are perpendicular to side panels 28 and 30.

Lower closure flap 86 is moved upwardly and second article retainingflap 90 is bent downwardly until lower tuck flap 94 contacts rear panel22.

Locking tongue 100 is now depressed and bent along score or crease line38 so that locking tab 102 is now resting on lower closure flap 86 andthe main body portion of the locking tongue is engaging rear panel 22.

Front panel 32 is now moved downwardly and first partition panel 44 isbent along score or crease line 52 so that first retaining flap 54 isbearing flush against rear panel 22 and first partition panel 44 isextending angularly downwardly from side panel 28 to rear panel 22.

Front panel 34 is moved downwardly and second partition panel 50 is bentalong score or crease line 56 so that second retaining flap 58 overliesfirst retaining flap 54, wherefore locking tab 60 can be inserted in thelocking tab opening provided by cut score 62.

At this time display panel 48 overlies support panel 42 and the two maybe secured to each other by any suitable adhesive substance provided onthe confronting faces of either panel.

The container is now ready to accept article 10, which is inserted intothe open top thereof and dropped downwardly so that closure cap 12 isreceived in the opening in second article retaining flap 90 provided bythe depression of locking tongue 100.

With article now disposed in the container, first article retaining flap72 is swung downwardly so that its outermost free end frictionallyengages side wall 28 and so that the base of article 10 is frictionallyengaged in central opening 76.

The container may be completely closed by moving upper closing flap 82and upper closure flap 64 downwardly, in that order and by insertingupper tuck flap 68 between rear panel 22 and first article retainingfiap 72.

If desired, an additional retaining flap, identical to first articleretaining flap 72, may be substituted for closing flap 82 to provide adouble thickness for larger and heavier articles.

In FIG. 7, we have illustrated a container blank 120 identical in formto container blank 20, with the exception that a second closing flap 172has been substituted for the first article retaining flap 72 of FIG. 6.

In FIG. 8, a container blank 220 is also identical in form to containerblank 20, with the exception that a first article retaining flap 272 isnot provided with a central opening.

In FIG. 9, a blank 320 is identical to the blank of FIG. 7 in that ithas the second closing flap 172, but it differs therefrom in that itprovides a second display panel 348 hingedly connected to rear panel 22.

In FIG. 10, a blank 420 is provided which permits an article to bedisplayed in cap-up position. In this embodiment, while the blank hasbeen illustrated in the same relative position as the blanks of FIGS.6-9, the lower closure flap becomes the upper closure fiap and anapertured tab 484 is provided on rear panel 22 so that the container maybe suspended from a suitable support.

In the version of FIG. 11, a blank 520 is similar to the blank of FIG.10 except that in this embodiment no central opening is provided in afirst retaining flap 5'72 and an apertured flap 506 is hingedlyconnected to the upper end of display panel 46 to facilitate thesuspension of the container from a support.

The FIG. 12 version shows a blank 62% adapted for cap-down display of anarticle, but including an apertured hanging tab 600 hinged to rear panel22 and substituting a second article retaining flap 690 having integrallocking fingers 694 for the tuck flap 94 of the blank of FIG. 6.

In FIG. 13, a blank 720 is identical to blank 520 of FIG. 11 except thatit contains a central opening in a first article retaining flap 772 anda second article retaining flap 790 has a locking tongue 760 with anintegral locking tab 702.

The version of FIG. 14 shows a blank 820 also similar to the blank ofFIG. 11, but differing therefrom in that the apertured flap 500 isomitted; a closing flap 882 is substituted for first retaining flap 572;and a first article retaining flap generally indicated by 872 issubstituted for an uppermost support panel 542 of blank 520.

In the FIG. 14 embodiment, an uppermost display panel 848 has anadhesive coating 848' thereon, and

first article retaining flap 872 has an adhesive coating 872' on a gluetab extension 874 thereof.

When the blank is erected to form a container, a glue tab extension 874is adhered to a rear panel 322 adjacent the central axis of the latter,the uppermost display panel 848 is adhered to a support panel 842 offirst article retaining flap 872.

Article retaining means in the form of a panel 890 hinged at one side tosupport panel 842 along a score line 892 and hinged at its opposite sideto glue tab 874 along a score line 896, is notched or cut away along itslower edge as at 900 to provide a locking tongue 894 of appropriate sizeand configuration to be receivable in the recessed cap or recessed baseof an article to be packaged within the erected container.

Upon container erection, support panel 842 and glue tab extension 874are parallel to rear panel 822 and panel 890 is normal to said rearpanel on the central axis of the latter to present the depending lockingtongue 894 to the cap or base of the article to be displayed.

Each of the containers described above permits the display of an articleso that a substantial portion of the article is exposed to view, whilethe article is firmly retained within the container, and each blank iscapable of quick and easy erection into a container by automaticequipment as well as by hand.

We claim:

I. A display container in combination with a capped article in thenature of a tube, bottle or container comprising, a plurality ofhingedly interconnected panels, certain of said panels constitutingsupporting surfaces for the article while exposing a substantial portionof the article to view, certain other of said panels constitutinglocking means for releasably holding the articles at its distal ends,said certain other of said panels constituting locking means comprisinga first panel having an aperture adapted to receive one end of thearticle therein and a second panel having a locking tab adapted toengage the opposite end of the article, the first panel being deformableso that it frictionally engages the respective one end of the articleand the second panel being deformable so that it precludes axialmovement of the respective opposite end of the article.

2. In a display container in combination with an article as set forth inclaim 1 wherein the first panel comprises a pair of hingedlyinterconnected panels having a central longitudinal opening intersectingtheir point of jointure, the two interconnected panels being deformableto substantially V-shape.

3. A display container in combination with an article as set forth inclaim 1 including means integral with certain of said panels permittingthe container to be suspended from a supporting surface.

4. In a display container in combination with a capped article as setforth in claim 1 wherein the capped article is disposed within thecontainer in cap-down position.

5. In a display container in combination with a capped article as setforth in claim 1 wherein the capped article is disposed within thecontainer in cap-up position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,448,401 8/1948Stone 22939 2,980,242 4/1961 Miller 20645.3l 3,093,290 6/1963 Banks eta] 20645.l4 3,252,566 5/1966 Hanson M 206-45.l4

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

WILLIAM T. DIXSON, IR., Examiner.

1. A DISPLAY CONTAINER IN COMBINATION WITH A CAPPED ARTICLE IN THENATURE OF A TUBE, BOTTLE OR CONTAINER COMPRISING, A PLURALITY OFHINGEDLY INTERCONNECTED PANELS, CERTAIN OF SAID PANELS CONSTITUTINGSUPPORTING SURFACES FOR THE ARTICLE WHILE EXPOSING A SUBSTANTIAL PORTIONOF THE ARTICLE TO VIEW, CERTAIN OTHER OF SAID PANELS CONSTITUTINGLOCKING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING THE ARTICLES AT ITS DISTAL ENDS,SAID CERTAIN OTHER OF SAID PANELS CONSTITUTING LOCKING MEANS COMPRISINGA FIRST PANEL HAVING AN APERTURE ADAPTED TO RECEIVE ONE END OF THEARTICLE THEREIN AND A SECOND PANEL HAVING A LOCKING TAB ADAPTED TOENGAGE THE OPPOSITE END OF THE ARTICLE, THE FIRST PANEL BEING DEFORMABLESO THAT IT FRICTIONALLY ENGAGES THE RESPECTIVE ONE END OF THE ARTICLEAND THE SECOND PANEL BEING DEFORMABLE SO THAT IT PRECLUDES AXIALMOVEMENT OF THE RESPECTIVE OPPOSITE END OF THE ARTICLE.